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The ADVANCE, January 13, 2021 /Page 2A
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EIGHTH GRADERS RECEIVE REACH SCHOLARSHIP - In a ceremony at VHS, these stu
dents committed to fulfilling disciplined requirements through high school to receive
a scholarship for postsecondary education. Seated, L to R, Jaden Bennett, Akasha
Edenfield, Eben Glaser, Chestilyn Wadley, and Kaliya Walker. Standing, Lto R, are some
supporters of the students: Tammy McFadden, Vidalia City Schools Federal Program
Director, and parents Audra Holton, Elizabeth Glaser, Melissa Thomas, Valerie Davis,
and Dr. Sandy Reid, Principal of J.R. Trippe Middle School,
REACH Scholars Commit
to Strict Educational Path
Submitted by Vidalia City
Schools
With Rebekah Arnold,
Contributing Writer
Five 8th graders from
J.R. Trippe Middle School
have been awarded a schol
arship designed to en
courage them to pursue a
disciplined track through
high school and toward a
postsecondary education.
The students went through
a competitive process and
sat through a daunting in
terview to apply for and
to receive the REACH
Georgia Scholarship. The
students are Jaden Bennett,
Akasha Edenfield, Eben
Glaser, Chestilyn Wadley
and Kaiya Walker.
At a ceremony held
recently at Vidalia High
School, Dr. Sandy Reid,
Principal of JRTMS, said
she considers this recog
nition of outstanding stu
dents one of her favorite
days every year. Reid said,
“This scholarship allows
us to identify five stu
dents who we know, with
out a doubt, with financial
and academic support, can
go on to pursue careers
and reach goals that will
allow them to contribute
to society and allow them
to lead happy and success
ful lives. The fact that they
are sitting here is an indi
cation that we have 100%
faith in their ability to do
something really special in
pursuing whatever post
secondary aspirations that
they have.”
Dr. Reid had the op
portunity to listen to the
students’ interviews, even
though she did not score
them. She was amazed by
how the students were able
to communicate their as
pirations, what they need
to do to reach their goals,
and how their strengths
allow for a good fit in the
REACH program. Above
and beyond the virtual
job shadowing and career
development programs at
the middle school, Reid at
tributes the students’ skills
to the parents’ encourage
ment and thanked them
for sending their students
to JRTMS.
In speaking to these
13 and 14-year-olds, Su
perintendent Dr. Garrett
Wilcox said, “I don’t know
if I could have understood
at 14 years old, or even at
18, that when I graduated
I would have a $10,000
scholarship. And all I re
ally had to do is show up,
graduate, carry myself like
a young man, and that
money would be there
at the end of a four-year
track though Vidalia High
School.” Wilcox continued,
“It’s hard to explain how
valuable an opportunity
this is for you kids, and for
you as parents. You ought
to be very proud of your
selves. This is a special day.”
This is the fourth year
that the Vidalia city schools
have participated in the
REACH Georgia Program.
The first group of scholars
are now Juniors. Next year,
when that first group will
be graduating Seniors, will
truly be a time for celebrat
ing, Dr. Wilcox remarked.
REACH is the State
of Georgia’s first needs-
based mentorship and col
lege scholarship program.
The mission is to ensure
that Georgia’s low income,
academically promising
students have the aca
demic, social, and finan
cial support needed to
graduate from high school,
gain access to college and
achieve postsecondary
success. Upon successful
completion of the pro
gram, qualifying students
earn a $10,000 scholar
ship ($2,500 max/year or
$l,250/semester) towards
the cost of attendance at
a HOPE-eligible postsec
ondary institution.
To be eligible for the
REACH Georgia Program,
a student must:
1. Currently be a ris
ing 8th grader at an eligible
Georgia school in a partici
pating district.
2. Demonstrate and
By Andrea Towns
Contributing Writer
Wheeler County’s
transition to manned trash
collection centers was dis
cussed further in the Board
of Commissioners’ meet
ing on January 4.
A motion to sign a ser
vice agreement provided
by Ryland Environmental
Waste Management was
presented and passed. This
service agreement entails
the cost of the two rolloff
dumpsters the county will
lease from Ryland Environ
mental. The listed hauling
price is $200 for the service
of delivering the county’s
garbage to the landfill and
returning the containers.
This price will decrease
provide proof of financial
need.
3. Have proven legal
status in the United States
(U.S. Citizen or legal resi
dent).
4. Have good atten
dance and behavior.
5. Have grade reports
reflecting at least a 2.5 cu
mulative grade point aver
age in core courses.
6. Have a crime and
drug-free record.
7. Have demonstrated
the support of a parent, le
gal guardian, or other car
ing adult.
REACH Scholars have
committed to follow a rig
orous educational path to
be eligible to receive their
scholarships upon gradu
ation. They are currently
minding the ABC’s of na
tionally recognized early
success indicators which
include:
• Attending school
regularly.
• Maintaining good
behavior.
• Preparing to succeed
in post-secondary school
as reflected in good course
performance.
• Additionally, our
scholars have experienced
the power of advocacy in
meeting regularly with
their mentor and academic
coach.
Since the program’s
launch in 2012, the
REACH Georgia program
has had nearly 2,400 stu
dents participating and
serves 154 school systems.
“the more [trash collection
centers] we open,” Chair
man Keith McNeal said.
Also listed in this ser
vice agreement are the
landfill fees of $30 a ton,
which is what the county is
currently paying, as well as
the rental cost of Ryland’s
trash containers of $90 per
month. There will be two
containers available at the
county’s trash collection
centers, the first of which
should open in the “next
couple of weeks on Com
munity Church Road,” re
ported Chairman McNeal.
In other business, Bob
by Cox was reappointed as
the third member of the
Heart of Georgia Altamaha
Regional Commission.
Wheeler Votes to Sign
Service Agreement
with Ryland
Area Voters Go Red
By now the results of
the January 5 runoff elec
tion for two Georgia Sen
ate seats are well known.
While Democrats Raphael
Warnock and Jon Ossoff
edged out Republicans
Kelly Loeffler and David
Perdue statewide, area vot
ing went red instead.
In a less high profile
contest, incumbent Pub
lic Service Commissioner
Lauren “Bubba” McDon
ald, a Republican, won re-
election in a race with Dan
iel Blackman, a Democrat.
Election night results
posted on the Georgia Sec
retary of State’s website re
vealed:
Toombs County
(56.64% of 16,621 reg
istered voters casting
ballots)
Perdue, 6,873 votes, 73.26%
Ossoff; 2,509,26.74%
Loeffler, 6,862,72.98%
Warnock, 2,541,27.02%
McDonald, 6,827,73.08%
Blackman, 2,414,26.20%
Montgomery County
(63.96% of 5,524 regis
tered voters casting bal
lots)
Perdue, 2,635, 74.89%
Ossoff] 884, 25.12%
Loeffler, 2,630, 74.59%
Warnock, 896, 25.41%
McDonald. 2,632, 75.72%
Blackman, 844, 24.28%
Treutlen County
(62.97% of 4,318 regis
tered voters cast ballots)
Perdue, 1,858, 68.71%
Ossoff) 846, 31.29%
Loeffler, 1,861, 68.65%
Warnock, 850, 31.35%
McDonald, 1,853, 70.03%
Blackman, 793, 29.97%
Wheeler County
(62.75% of 3,208 regis
tered voters cast ballots)
Perdue, 1,381, 68.81%
Ossoff) 626, 31.19%
Loeffler, 1,373, 68.44%
Warnock, 633, 31.56%
McDonald, 1,365, 69.18%
Blackman, 608, 30.82%
Mayor: Glenwood in
Great Financial Shape
By Andrea Towns trash bins, offer curbside 9, during which Cole
Contributing Writer
“We’re in the best fi
nancial state we’ve been
in in years,” Mayor G.M.
Joiner said of the City of
Glenwood in the coun
cil’s meeting on Janu
ary 5. On December 5,
the city received its first
landfill check from Green
Rock Strategies, a waste
management firm, for
$2,520—payment for
Glenwood’s management
of outside water-waste in
the city’s water treatment
plant.
The restructuring of
the city’s loan with the
United States Depart
ment of Agriculture for
the water treatment plant
is complete. Prior to this
restructuring, the city was
paying $7,300 a month.
This has been lowered
to a payment of $4,300 a
month, with a reduced in
terest rate of 1.25%. These
restructuring efforts sig
nificantly account for the
boost in the city’s finan
cial state.
Mayor Joiner signed
a contract with Republic
Waste Management Ser
vices on January 5—an
agreement that will re
structure the city’s gar
bage disposal system. Re
public will furnish new
Colen
bin pickup, and disposal
of the binned garbage. De
spite these changes, fees
will remain the same.
For more information
about this transition, call
Glenwood City Hall at
(912) 523-5223.
In other business,
Brenda Cornett, city clerk,
submitted her resignation,
effective immediately, at
the Glenwood City Coun
cil’s meeting on Decem
ber 1. The Council held
a special call meeting on
Wednesday, December
during
Horne Jr. was appointed
temporary city clerk.
Elaine Pope has since
been employed as deputy
city clerk. Since their ap
pointments, Horne and
Pope have aided the city
of Glenwood in wrapping
up the fiscal year and pre
paring for 2021.
Mayor Joiner report
ed that Matt Wells has
resigned as street mainte
nance personal, and that
Logan Floyd was hired in
his stead.
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